Depending on your benefit, you may have obligations to find mahi or get ready for mahi. This means you must do one of these:
There are things you need to do to meet your obligations. The Work and Income website explains what your obligations are and how to meet them.
Your obligations while getting a benefit | Work and Income website
What happens if you don’t meet your obligations
If you can't meet your obligations, contact us straight away.
If you don't meet your obligations and you don’t have a good and sufficient reason, your payments could reduce or stop. A ‘good and sufficient’ reason is when something happens that means it is not reasonable to expect you to meet your obligations.
We have a traffic light system to help you stay on track with your work-related and social obligations. It lets you know where you're at and what you need to do.
Dispute or review a decision
If your payments are going to reduce or stop because you did not meet an obligation, we will send you a letter explaining our decision.
If you want to dispute the decision, you have 5 working days from when we send you the letter to contact us about the decision.
You can also formally challenge the decision by asking for a review. You must do this within 3 months of us telling you about the decision.
If you have work obligations, we may ask you to create or update your Jobseeker profile as part of your obligations. You might need to do this before your benefit is granted, or we may ask you to complete one if you’re already getting a benefit. When you do, make sure you:
If you don't do these things, then:
If your benefit has full-time or part-time work obligations, you must be ready for mahi or be available for and take reasonable steps to find suitable mahi.
If you then want to withdraw a job application, you need to contact us first. If you withdraw your application without a good and sufficient reason, we will assess whether you have failed your obligation to be available for and take reasonable steps to find suitable mahi. If so, your payments could reduce or stop.
If your benefit includes full-time or part-time work obligations, you must go to job interviews we set up for you. You must also take part in the interview.
If you don’t go or take part and don’t have a good and sufficient reason, your payments could reduce or stop.
If your benefit has full-time or part-time work obligations, you must take and pass any drug test an employer asks for.
If you don’t do this and don’t have a good and sufficient reason, your payments could reduce or stop. This can happen if:
If your benefit has full-time or part-time work obligations, you must take any suitable offer of full-time, part-time or temporary work, or work that is seasonal or subsidised. The type of work you must take will depend on your circumstances. Your case manager will have discussed this with you.
If you don’t take the offer of work and you don’t have a good reason, your payments could reduce or stop.
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Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
